Lazy
by JLaLa
Summary: "Effie always thought he was lazy. But with her now gone, he set out to prove her wrong." Now all he had to do was find the kids-a meeting, a plan, and finally the reunion of our "Three Minutes" Katniss and Peeta. Written for the Prompts in Panem-"SLOTH" challenge.
1. Part One: Lazy

_The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me._

_Thank you to Chelzie for being an awesome beta—and getting this done!_

**Lazy**

By JLaLa

"_Haymitch! Get the camera—I finally have them all cleaned up and ready!" _

_She was always about the pictures. _

_Grumbling, Haymitch sat up from his recliner and walked over to the small side table across the room. The drawer of the second hand table creaked as he reached in and grabbed their ancient camera—Effie had paid five dollars for the damn thing. _

_She was frugal when she wanted to be._

_Stepping outside, he watched her fuss over the six wriggling children. From the tallest to the smallest, Effie went through and wiped any smudges from their faces, then fixed their hair._

"_Effie, why do we have to do this?" Annie, the smallest of the bunch, asked. Her large green eyes peeked through dark, unruly hair which Effie was always trying to fix. It always looked slightly disheveled no matter what she did._

"_Because I want to take a picture of my children," Effie replied cheerily and kissed her forehead. "It's a big,big,big day for us!"_

_They had tried for five years before the doctors had told them that Effie couldn't conceive. She took it with a gentle smile that faded quickly when they went to bed that same night. His heart broke for her but he would've been a shitty father anyway._

_But Effie would've made a damn fine mother._

_So they decided to open a foster home. He had suggested it—because he couldn't stand to hear her cry. _

"_Can we get this over with?" Gale, the tallest one, stomped his feet. He wasn't the oldest but his hard glare made everyone quiet down._

"_Alright, alright, darling boy," Effie said soothingly as she walked to him. Putting her arm around the boy's shoulders, she looked over at Haymitch and gave him a dazzling smile. "You can take the picture." _

"_Okay." Haymitch moved an eye over the viewer. "Say 'cheese' or some shit like that!"_

"_Haymitch-no cursing! Little ears!" _

_He loved teasing her._

"_CHEESE!" The kids bellowed._

_CLICK._

_**TEN YEARS LATER**_

Effie always thought he was lazy. But with her now gone, he set out to prove her wrong.

Looking over the foreclosure letter again, he took another swig of bourbon before crumbling the piece of paper and throwing it to the ground.

Snow was finally getting what he wanted—he was closing the last foster home in the District. Now all homeless, parentless children of Panem would be going to a state of the art 'facility' in the Capitol.

Facility—more like a prison.

When Effie read the news last year, it was the beginning of the end for her. The cancer that grew in her spread like wildfire in only three months and before he knew it—she was gone.

He could hardly breathe thinking about it.

There were only three children left in his care: Rory, Primrose, and Rue. He loved them all the best he could, but he had very little help from the Capitol so the place was going to shit.

Looking over at the bare spot where his wedding ring was, Haymitch felt his eyes burn. He had to sell it—Prim was getting a cough. They needed the medicine and some soup.

Putting his head down on the desk, he tried to stop the overwhelming need to open another bottle.

He didn't want to think anymore.

"_Get off your ass and do something, lazybones!"_

He sat up quickly and looked around—she still haunted him. His eyes caught a glint of gold—a picture frame in the corner of their office. Unsteadily, he pushed himself up from the worn desk chair and walked over to it.

The color on the picture had faded, but her smile still shone through.

He knew what he had to do.

He had to find them.

When Haymitch found his way back to his desk, he pulled out a legal pad and began writing his list:

**Johanna Mason**

**Gale Hawthorne**

**Annie Cresta**

**Finnick Odair**

**Peeta Mellark**

**Katniss Everdeen**

* * *

Johanna Mason was the easiest to find. She had made her fortune in the Capitol as a computer programmer. Effie had been quite proud of the tough-as-nails girl.

Haymitch knew better.

Johanna was clever—always had been since she had come to them years ago.

Her family had been killed because her father made some shady deals with some very rich businessmen. She was in school when they told her that her mother, father and younger brother were burned alive in their small home.

Now she was getting her revenge.

"Mr. Abernathy?" the receptionist called out to him. "Miss Mason will see you now."

Standing up, he gave the receptionist a nod before opening the door and entering the swanky office. The room smelled faintly of burnt wood with floor to ceiling windows on each side of the room.

And there before him stood Johanna—with her razor sharp bob and black business suit.

"Well, I'll be damned," she said, her voice low and teasing. "I never thought I'd see you in the Capitol."

Rushing over, Johanna threw her arms around him and he was engulfed in the exotic scent that she wore. It was like opium.

"You're looking good, kid," he replied with a small smile. "And I can see that you're doing well."

"More than okay—actually," she informed him with a grin. "Just acquired a new client—now that Cray has been let go."

"Cray?" Haymitch guffawed as he sat in the plush chair in front of her. "He was practically running this building—what the hell happened?"

Johanna sat on her desk across from him and smiled benignly.

"Let's just say someone found some rather confidential information on his hard drive."

There it was. Johanna was always obsessed with breaking things open and putting them together. Effie would buy her books about building things, especially electronics. Before she was taken from them, Johanna knew how to fix and disassemble anything in their house.

She also had a nasty habit of hacking into computers—and found some rather risqué photos that he had taken with Effie during their newlywed days.

"So what can I do for you?" she asked with her arms crossed.

"Effie's gone, you know," he told her softly. Johanna gasped and Haymitch saw the hard façade fade from her body. "It's been about a year."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"She didn't want any of the kids to know," Haymitch said. "My last three kids are heartbroken—they lost their mama and so did you. Also, Snow is closing our place down."

Her eyes hardened immediately. "Damned if I'll ever let that happen."

Johanna agreed with his plan right away.

* * *

He thought the next one would be harder to find. Fortunately, Johanna managed to "find" some Capitol files with his last known address.

Walking over to the back of the building, Haymitch knocked twelve times—and the door opened quickly.

"What do you want?" the tall, olive skinned man asked. He was dressed in a shirt that was way too tight for his bulging muscles and the glare of the light from the inside shone on his bald head.

"Tell your boss that the 'Victor' is here," he replied.

When Gale was a kid, he loved to play chess with Haymitch. He was obsessed with winning.

Especially since every win got him a dollar from his foster father.

His family had been dirt poor—they had all been taken by pneumonia when Gale had come to them. He was a surly boy and was constantly in need of something.

He always needed more hugs from Effie or more food than the other kids.

Gale knew how to get what he wanted.

By the time he was taken from them, Gale could ramble off probability stats for any sports team or any race like a pro. He also never lost a game against any of the kids. Finnick and Gale almost killed each other over a game of football once.

But he never won a chess game against Haymitch—so the older man was forever the 'Victor' to him.

The security guard spoke into his headset then turn to him right away. "Go right in, sir."

"Thanks—what's your name?"

"Brutus." The man wasn't so scary now—there was a hint of fear in his eyes.

Strolling past the guard, he walked down the hallway towards the singular door. Before he could knock, Haymitch heard the familiar drawl of Gale Hawthorne's voice.

"Come in already!"

Opening the door, Haymitch was greeted by the handsome, tanned man who was once his foster son. Gale jumped from his seat and rushed over to him.

"Haymitch! You son of a bitch! How the hell are you?" His face lit up as he lifted the older man in a robust hug.

Damn, Gale was strong.

The room was plain. Grey walls and no windows—but there were television screens –three to each wall that were playing some sort of game or track race.

"I'm great, boy," Haymitch replied affectionately. "What the hell do you have here?"

"Just doing what I do best—winning."

It was then that Haymitch noticed that they weren't alone. A nervous young man sat on the couch adjacent to them.

He was a handsome fellow—golden haired and chiseled but there was something in his eyes.

"I was just telling Gloss here about how easy it is to win," Gale said. "You see, Gloss is in love but the girl of his dreams is a little out of his league. A debutante, right?"

"Yeah," Gloss replied breathlessly. "Enobaria Franklin."

"Oh, I've seen her in the Capitol magazine—she's a beaut." Gale walked over to the couch and put an arm around Gloss.

Haymitch knew Gale's game and he tried to keep a straight face.

"You give me that thousand and I turn it to millions," Gale continued. "Imagine it-you could give that girl everything she wants and her family will BEG you to marry her."

Gale sure knew how to paint a pretty picture when he wanted to.

"Cash or check?" Gloss asked, his eyes suddenly glowing with excitement.

"Cash—best not to trace anything back to you."

The deal was done in ten seconds and Gloss was gone—dreaming of the wedding that would probably never happen.

"How much did you make off that boy?" Haymitch asked, once they were alone.

"Probably about two mil," Gale replied off-handedly. "I heard what happened with Snow—I'm in."

That's why he liked Gale—no hesitation as long as he got something out of it—money, power, as long as it was in his favor.

"Want to play a game?" Haymitch asked after he explained his plan.

Gale reached under the couch and pulled out Haymitch's old chess set, then grinned at him.

"Thought you'd never ask."

* * *

"I knew that buying that chemistry set would come in handy."

Haymitch wasn't surprised that Annie Cresta had become such a beautiful woman. She was always a pretty little girl.

The problem was that her Daddy thought that she was real pretty, too.

She came to them slightly jittery on a cold November night with only a torn dress and bruises on her wrists—restraints from the old man. For the first six months, no one but Effie could touch her. Effie had been patient with the little girl and slowly Annie had opened up to each of them.

Annie, however, always needed to please people and coddle them. She made Johanna anything that she wanted to eat, or helped Finnick with his homework even when instructed not to.

"Haymitch!" Annie gave him a shaky laugh and rushed into his arms. She was still a tiny thing.

"How you doing, sweetheart?"

This part of the kitchen was all Annie's—no one was allowed in because of the sensitivity of the ingredients.

At least, that's what the staff told the patrons of 'Waves Bistro'.

"I'm alright." Annie pulled away after a moment. She patted down her messy hair and his eyes burned thinking about how Effie fussed over that hair. "I missed you though—and Effie, too. Where is she?" The woman looked around for her mother.

"I'm sorry, Annie, but we lost her a year ago."

He waited for her to react and Haymitch could see her wringing her hands. Annie trembled for a moment and then took a breath—she did this often as a kid.

"Was it quick?" she asked in a shaky voice.

"It was—and she didn't want any of you rushing over to her," he said and pulled her in for another hug. "She would be so proud of you. Look at everything that you've done for yourself."

"I'm not so sure that she would be," Annie told him.

The success of 'Waves' was overwhelming. The reservation list was booked for six months in advance and the people of the Capitol were paying huge amounts to eat at Annie's restaurant.

They just weren't sure why. All they knew was that wanted more.

Besides cooking—Annie seemed to be very interested in one other thing as a child—mixing. She loved to combined liquids and powders to see what would happen. There was always a willing participant in the house.

How Finnick never got sick was beyond him.

"Annie, what is all this?" He looked around at the containers of white powder on the tall racks.

No labels, but Haymitch knew that Annie did this for a reason.

Everything she created was memorized in her head. It was the only thing that kept her sanity intact.

"I give them what they want," Annie whispered to him.

Taking his hand, she led him to the windows of her office. Below them, Haymitch could see the filled tables. All of the plates were either empty or quickly in the process of being eaten. The customers couldn't get enough.

It reminded him of a pig feeding—the way they ate.

"You see that man over there?" She pointed to the dark haired man with impeccably designed beard. "He wants to feel powerful—and so I make him feel powerful. Those guests of his are eating a meal that was designed to make them respect him—and fear him. I made that happen."

"Why do you do it?"

"Because I like to make people happy-and people will pay a lot for happiness," Annie told him as she met his eyes. "As long as I can create, then I'll be okay."

He could see inside her—the need to control those around her by indulging them.

The quiet people are sometimes the scariest ones.

"Whatever you want, I'm in," she continued after a moment. "It's what Effie would've wanted."

He patted her head affectionately and kissed her forehead. "When are you ever going to fix this hair of yours?"

"Probably never—Effie always liked it messy. She just never told anyone."

* * *

"You know that you forgot to deactivate the security cameras, right?"

Finnick gave Haymitch a winning grin as he closed the door behind him. "I'm sure that you fixed that right up for me."

"Who was in that room?" the older man asked as they walked down the hall. Finnick adjusted his leather gloves before turning to him. The boy grew up to be pretty good looking—bronze and chiseled, just how the Capitol ladies like their men.

Finnick aimed to please. Most of all, he pleased himself.

His mother had been an 'entertainer' herself.

When she was killed by a client during a session, Finnick had come to them. He slept under his bed for months because he was used to hiding under his mother's bed while she amused her guests in any way she could.

His mother's popularity was due to her golden looks and golden charms. She had passed it on to her son.

Finnick was _very_ popular with the older Capitol women.

But Haymitch knew that he was looking for something more, he was looking for the mother he had lost in them.

"A rather nice lady who needed to talk," Finnick replied easily as they got to the elevator.

When they got in, Haymitch made sure that red light of the camera was off. Their security office was very easily accessible and the guards were probably making a fortune by doing nothing.

After all, discretion was key in the Capitol.

When the elevator opened, Finnick led him outside of the crystalline high-rise and down the block. The two didn't speak because even the streets weren't safe against Snow's people.

Out of all of the kids, Finnick didn't seem to care much about what other people thought. He just did his own thing, which mostly consisted of trying to get one of the girls to give him a kiss.

Haymitch reckoned that he got something from at least one of them.

They reached a brownstone home and Finnick unlocked the door to let them in. When the door was closed and locked, the young man led him to the living room.

He couldn't believe his eyes. Picture frames filled the shelves along with other mementos, they were practically overflowing.

Finnick went to a shelf and pulled out a pair of bronzed baby shoes from his pocket then placed it carefully inside.

"What the fuck is all this?" Haymitch asked in shock.

"Keepsakes from my clients," the younger man informed him. Finnick passed a mirror and fixed a tendril of his golden hair before turning to Haymitch. "What did you need?"

"None of these ladies have said anything?"

"What do you suppose they would tell their husbands?" Finnick replied as he went to the bar next to the window. "That the hot piece of ass that fucks them took a pair of bronze baby shoes? " He poured a glass of amber liquid from an unlabeled bottle then walked over to Haymitch. "Bourbon, right?"

Haymitch gulped it quickly then sat on the leather couch next to him. "That's sick."

Finnick joined him. "I have to do what I have to do to survive," Finnick said as he met his foster father's eyes.

Haymitch could see it then—his desperation.

Finnick held it all inside that gloriously used body of his.

"Effie's gone, you know," Haymitch told him.

Finnick went silent as he stared straight ahead at the collection in front of them. Getting up, he went to the fireplace and took something from it.

When he sat down, Finnick placed a familiar wooden earring on the coffee table in front of them.

He grinned—she was always looking for that earring. "That's mahogany, you know."

Finnick smiled back at him. "I know. It was the first memento I ever collected."

Haymitch knew he would say yes.

* * *

He needed Peeta to get the last one.

Peeta Mellark was the smallest of the boys. His mother had locked him in their basement after his father's death—she couldn't stand that he looked like the man she lost. He had been so malnourished when he came to them that Effie sold any jewelry she could to buy the supplements he needed to catch up to the others.

In time, he eventually grew taller than the girls; he wasn't muscular like Gale, nor was he chiseled like Finnick. He had, however, a handsome, youthful charm to him that made him popular with the girls.

Peeta was always wanting, however.

Haymitch and Effie worried about him the most—he never really caught up with any of the other kids. There was nothing that seemed to strike his fancy.

When he was taken, Peeta asked for nothing except for three minutes with Katniss.

The girl never told anyone what they talked about. Stubborn chit.

The garage was empty when he walked in but he could hear the clanking of metal coming from the back.

"Peeta?" he called out. "It's Haymitch!"

The clanking stopped and Haymitch was surprised to see the man in front of him.

Peeta had changed.

He was broad with strong arms and had grown several inches since he left them. Effie would've been so happy to see him looking like this. She had tried so hard to give him what he needed.

Peeta walked over to him with an excited smile. "I can't believe it!"

The two embraced and Peeta led him through the back of the garage to his office.

"Looks like you're doing well," Haymitch remarked as he closed the office door.

"Well, I'm not running a restaurant like Annie or being the Capitol hunk like Finnick, but I'm good," Peeta replied and Haymitch could hear the strain in his voice. "I'm sorry about Effie—I heard about it but I knew she would call if she really wanted us there."

"You know she wanted you to remember her the way she was," he said to the boy. "I need your help, Peeta."

"What could I possibly do to help you?" Peeta asked, pain in his eyes. "I'm nothing special—nothing really."

"Holy hell—Effie would smack your face if you said that in front of her!"

"She would, wouldn't she?" Peeta smiled to himself as he thought of her motherly speeches. "I'm not rich or smart like the others, so I don't know what I could do."

Haymitch placed a hand on his shoulder and looked into the blue eyes that Effie always said were Peeta's best feature.

"You could go get her."

* * *

"_Let's make a dream for you_

_I just wanna be myself now_

_Hey, keep dreaming…_

_Get in and lose it!_

_Don't stop driving…"_

Peeta walked around the crowded club, pushing past scantily clad girls entertaining guests. The smell of sweat and powder was everywhere.

He had never been to 'The Mockingjay'.

The thousand dollar cover charge had been provided by Johanna—he had never had that much money in his bank account.

The morning after his meeting with Haymitch, he had woken up to a million dollars in his bank account for 'car repairs' and a text on his phone saying that he should probably get some new clothes.

He needed to look rich.

Peeta had never asked for much.

He only wanted one thing—her.

The Mockingjay.

That's what they called her.

Sitting down in a small booth, Peeta looked for her. He had heard rumors that she could do things that made men fall to their knees.

They opened their hearts as well as wallets for her.

"What can I get you, dollface?" He looked up to see a petite blond in a pure white corset and boy shorts. She looked like she could've been his sister. "I'm Madge and I'll be your waitress."

"I'm looking for someone." He looked around. "I'm looking for _her_."

Madge nodded quickly. "Well, I'm going to need your photo ID and credit card before I can do any of that."

Hesitantly, he reached into his wallet and pulled out the cards. Quickly, he pulled out one more thing and handed it to Madge.

She raised her brows. "What the hell is this?"

"She'll know."

Madge walked off quickly. The club was packed and he looked around at the caged dancers, then to the filled dance floor.

Katniss hated to dance. Effie always tried to teach them, but Katniss was determined to not do it. He still remembered the way her two braids would swing violently as she shook her head.

"Come with me." He looked up to see Madge staring at him oddly.

Quickly, Peeta stood up and joined her. Madge took his hand and led him away from the dance floor to a dark corridor where softer music played.

These were the private entertainment rooms.

The last room, Room 12, was hers.

Madge opened the door for him and he walked inside.

"Enjoy," she said with a wink before closing the door behind her.

He looked around at the fiery red of the walls. It looked like blood. Katniss never talked about what had brought her to the home. Haymitch and Effie just brought her in one night.

She was covered in a bright red sheet and nothing else.

"Hey."

He turned to see her grey eyes staring at him. Peeta dreamed of those eyes for years.

Yes, he had wanted her for years. Peeta imagined how she would look like now and those were the most torturous nights for him. He would wake up covered in sweat and achingly hard at the thought of her grey eyes.

Nothing compared to the sight before him, thick chocolate hair that fell against her soft shoulders and curves that were emphasized perfectly by the tightly woven black corset she wore under the matching silk robe.

"Hey," he greeted back. "How are you?"

"You didn't pay fifty thousand dollars to talk to me," Katniss said as she walked towards him. "No one talks to me."

"I'm here to talk to you," Peeta replied easily as she led him to a plush chair in the middle of the room. As she slid off the robe, he could see that the cups of the corset barely held her breasts in. "Haymitch is looking for you."

Katniss straddled him and he tried not to focus on her forceful grind—or the heat coming from in-between the apex of her thighs.

"Listen to me," she whispered against his ear. "We can't talk here—they're everywhere."

The warmth of her breath against his ear made him twitch. "Then where and when?"

Her hands reached behind his neck so that she could hold on to him as she danced. Katniss smiled softly and for a moment he saw the girl he knew.

Peeta pushed his pelvis against hers and he was surprised when she let out a quiet groan. She cocked an eyebrow at him and his hands went to her hips as he brushed his now hard length against the barely there thong she wore.

"Tell me," he urged as he gripped her hips roughly.

"In the back—ten minutes!" Katniss replied and her eyes closed as she pushed against him.

When she opened them again, Peeta could see them clouded over with lust as she gasped for breath. "You play a wicked game."

"You started it," he countered. "Is this what they come for?"

"They pay because I know how to make them feel good," Katniss told him as she moved against him. "I bring it out of them."

"What?" His hand traveled in-between her thighs without hesitation.

The slick heat of his fingers in her reminded him of the three minutes he had asked for before he left her alone.

"Power, lust, fear, whatever makes them feel like they can run the world."

"And what about you?" He pushed in deeper and his thumb found her clit. Peeta's lips found her neck and his mouth tasted the skin he dreamt about for years. "What makes you come?"

She still tasted the same.

"I have my memories," she said softly into his neck.

Peeta felt her clamp down against his fingers and the rush of heat against his hand.

"Good girl, let it out," he whispered against her ear as she hissed her orgasm into his. "I'll see you outside. I'm going to call Haymitch and let him know you're in."

Gently, Peeta let his fingers slide out of her as he helped her stand up.

Peeta's fingers quickly went to his mouth so that he could taste her. It was as sweet as he imagined.

His eyes traveled to the Mockingjay pin that he had given Madge to give to her. It sat nicely in-between the dip of the sweetheart line of the corset.

Katniss met his eyes and grinned. "Damn you, Peeta Mellark."

* * *

"I did it, Eff," Haymitch said as he placed the bouquet of sunflowers on top of her tombstone. "You always thought I was a lazy bastard but I'm going to save our home. And I know you never thought I cared for the little ones, but I did. Every single one of them—but I wish I could've done better for you."

His eyes watered thinking of her last smile—so gentle and serene.

"She never thought you were lazy."

Haymitch turned to see Johanna walking towards him along with Gale. They both carried bouquets of flowers which they placed in front of her stone.

"Effie just knew how to push your buttons," Gale said as he reached into the bag he carried on his shoulder and pulled out a bottle of champagne. "She knew how to make you do things without you knowing it. She was the real mastermind."

"I guess I wasn't the only one who remembered." Finnick joined them with a jovial smile. He took out the mahogany earring and placed it on top of the tombstone. "Hey, Effie—sorry for taking your earring. I just wanted something to remember my Mom by."

Haymitch put an arm around him. "Glad you came." He nodded at Johanna and Gale. "All of you."

"Sorry, I'm late." Annie arrived breathlessly and hugged him. "Had to run an errand."

She placed a box in his hand and he hesitated before opening it.

The ring still looked new to him despite the many scratches it held. Each scratch held a memory of her and their years together.

"What did we miss?" The group turned to find Peeta and Katniss walking towards them. Their hands were entwined tightly and Haymitch grinned—he knew Peeta would bring her back.

"Hey, Mockingjay," Finnick teased, though his smile fell slightly seeing Annie staring at him disapprovingly.

"None of that," Peeta said to him. "She's just Katniss to us—none of that Mockingjay shit."

"Looks like someone grew some balls," Johanna remarked with a smirk.

"Can we just toast already?" Gale stomped his foot and then looked down at the tombstone he was standing on. "Sorry—uh, Mr. Jones."

Annie handed out the cups and Gale poured.

When they were topped off, Haymitch looked around at the group. At their children.

"It's going to be a big, big, big day," he started, quoting his late wife. "And we've got a lot of work to do, but we're going to do it. For Effie."

They toasted in agreement and Haymitch gulped it down quickly before meeting their eyes again.

"Let the games begin."

* * *

Song:

"Dream Racer"-4Minute

Yes, this will be my next story. I love a good heist.

-JLaLa


	2. Part Two: Wanting

Thank you to all who read the first chapter of "Lazy" and its prequel, "Three Minutes", during Prompts in Panem!

Hopefully you've noticed, but each of our characters has a little bit of sin in them. Advantage or disadvantage?

We'll see.

The characters of The Hunger Games do not belong to me.

Thank you to Chelzie, my dear beta who is just too awesome for words.

_**NOTE: This chapter begins right after the Peeta and Katniss' reunion at the Mockingjay.**_

Lazy

By JLaLa

Part Two: Wanting

"She's in."

"Knew you could do it, kid," Haymitch responded into the phone and laughed. "Now that you have her—what you going to do with her?"

Peeta thought for a moment before answering, "Bring her home."

"I'll see you two tomorrow. Take care of her," his foster father told him. "Finnick has seen her around a couple of times and well, if he's concerned…"

"Yeah, I know. We'll see you tomorrow." Peeta hung up the cell phone and placed it in the pocket of the black leather jacket. The silk black shirt and ink blue pants completed the ensemble, making him look like he belonged in the trendy Capitol club.

Johanna was a generous benefactor with_ other_ people's money.

Rounding the building, he found Katniss waiting for him. Unfortunately, she wasn't alone.

"You can't leave," the golden haired man told her, his face inches away from hers. "You have other clients."

"I'm done for tonight," she replied evenly. Peeta could see that she had shut down; her grey eyes were blank as she responded.

Quietly, he walked towards them. He had always been a light walker, which had helped him to get the things he needed to survive.

Her eyes met his briefly and Peeta put a finger to his lips.

"Actually, I'm done forever," Katniss said to the man.

The backhand to her cheek came quickly and without warning.

When he heard the sickening crunch of her jaw meeting the man's knuckles, Peeta didn't hesitate, pulling the pistol out from inside his jacket pocket.

Gale had sent him a text after Johanna's.

It was a warning—perhaps getting her back wouldn't be as easy as Haymitch predicted and he might need something to negotiate with.

The small silver pistol had been delivered an hour later with a note: _'Just in case. –G'_

"Move and I'll blow your fucking brains out," he told the man coldly. Peeta looked over at Katniss, who was rubbing her jaw. "Are you okay?"

"That hurt," she replied tonelessly.

"Shoot me and your life is over." Peeta could hear the sneer in his voice. "I know people—powerful people."

"Cato," Katniss approached them, her hips swaying provocatively. "Remember-you hit _me_. The Mockingjay."

"Yes, Cato," Peeta added as he pushed the muzzle of the pistol into the back of the prick's head. ''It would be self-defense. Because no one would ever think that the lovely Mockingjay could do something like this unless it was necessary."

"What do you want?" He could hear the tremble in Cato's voice.

Katniss placed a hand on his shoulder and their eyes met briefly. Peeta could see the fire in her stirring.

"I'll take it from here," she told him and her hand joined his on the grip of the pistol.

He let go when she had a steady hold and went to the look at the man.

Cato was tall and muscular, and that was about it. There was nothing else worth saving and it made the job easier. Peeta saw the fear in his eyes and felt his lips curl into a small grin.

"What do I want?" Peeta repeated as he approached him. Their eyes met and Peeta saw that Cato's were a similar shade of blue. He could also see him swallow nervously.

Katniss unlocked the safety on the pistol.

"I want her," Peeta said as he met her eyes again. "By any means necessary."

* * *

"Where are we?" she asked as they drove up in a cherry red Chevelle and parked in front of the large metal garage door.

Cato had a nice car.

"My garage," Peeta replied before getting out of the car.

Going to her side, he opened the door and Katniss gave him a small smile before taking his hand.

Once she was on her feet, Katniss kept a tight grip on his hand. He found her touch comforting and old memories of their childhood together came flooding back to his mind.

The garage was about forty minutes away from the Capitol. Most of the repair stations were located in the same neighborhood, but his own business had flourished thanks to his knack for turning vintage cars that were once obsolete into working wonders.

The Chevelle they were driving was one that he had worked on—a present for Snow's nephew.

Now it was back where it belonged. Just like her.

"It's nice," Katniss said as he led her to the side of the building and up the stairs to his apartment. "You were closer than I thought."

Peeta turned to her when he reached the top. "I was just waiting for the right time."

His hand reached out to cup her cheek and Katniss leaned into it, closing her eyes as she did.

"I know," she said quietly. Her eyes opened, revealing molten grey as she looked at him. "I made sure you would find me."

His insides jumped and Peeta quickly reached into pants pocket to take out his key.

Unlocking the door, he turned to her apologetically. "It's not much—"

Katniss rolled her eyes and smiled. "Just open the door."

When Peeta hesitated, she grabbed his hand and opened the door. As she walked in, he reached for the light switch next to the doorway and flipped it up.

"Wow," Katniss said as she looked around. Dropping his hand, she walked to the center of the room and then turned to him with a teasing grin. "You're so full of shit."

"What?"

"This place is great."

Peeta watched her look around the apartment. The top floor of the garage was supposed to be a storage area, but he had renovated it into his own little home. In the far corner was the kitchen, with a small round table and two chairs that rested against the tiny window.

The rest of the space was taken up by an L-shaped sectional that he had found on the side of the road. His neighbors, Portia and Octavia, taught him how to upholster the couch, and then sewed the plush beige covering as a birthday present to him two years ago.

"You need to stop being so down on yourself," she said as she approached him and he got his first real look at Katniss Everdeen.

He liked her better this way —natural. She had taken off the make-up and her dark hair was in a single ropy braid that went down her back. However, she was wearing a pair of leather pants and an even tighter top that left very little to the imagination.

Peeta wondered how she even got out of the pants; the thought caused a familiar tingle to run through his body.

"Do you want to change?" he asked suddenly.

Katniss raised her eyebrows as she stared at him. Her eyes went downward before nodding.

"The door next to the kitchen is my room. You can get some clothes there and there's a bathroom, too-"

"-Thanks, I'll be back," she responded while rushing over to the door and closing it behind her.

He needed to get it together.

Going into the kitchen, he got out his kettle and filled it with water before setting it on the stove. In the fridge, he got out the rolls he had made that morning and tossed four into the oven.

Turning the oven on, he rested his hands on the counter and took a deep breath.

"I feel so much better."

He looked up to find that Katniss had joined him in the kitchen. She was in a long, white V-neck t-shirt and black boxers. Her hair was unraveled and relaxed—it reminded him of their last few minutes together at Effie and Haymitch's house.

He wondered if it was just as soft as it was before.

"Where did you get the stockings?" Katniss asked as she pulled out a chair for herself. He looked over at the burgundy knitted stockings on her feet. They reached above her knees, leaving a small bit of skin between the boxers.

"My neighbor, Portia, is a seamstress," Peeta replied as he opened a cupboard and took out two mugs, placing them at the table. "She made them for me last winter."

"Oh." Katniss sat down slowly and then looked at him, her eyes troubled. "Were you two involved?"

He laughed and shook his head. "No, she's like an aunt to me—an overprotective one at that."

The kettle whistled; he turned off the stove and went to fill their mugs. Next, he grabbed a plate and a pair of mitts before pulling out the cooked rolls from the oven.

He set the plate next to her. "Here. Eat."

Katniss looked up at him curiously. "What are these?"

"Some rolls with a little bit of cheese inside and —" he reached for the canister on top of the fridge, "Hot chocolate."

"Remember how Effie always made sure we had hot chocolate during our birthdays?" she asked as he sat down. "Haymitch would grumble over how she spoiled us, but then she'd make him a 'special' cup."

"Usually laced with alcohol," he responded with a soft laugh.

Katniss opened the canister and took a spoonful of the rich cocoa, then one more. She always loved hot chocolate.

Since the kitchen was small enough, Peeta easily reached over to the adjacent drawer and pulled out a spoon for her.

"No one has ever made me anything to eat," Katniss said as she took the spoon from him. She looked up and he could see her cheeks had darkened. "It's like we're on a date or something."

"I'm sure that you've had plenty of dates—"

"—Appointments and outings, but no dates," she finished with a bitter laugh.

"Then we're on a date," he told her. "It's my first one, too."

"Liar!" She looked at him skeptically.

He shook his head. "Beside Portia and Octavia, her roommate, it's all men around here," he informed her. Peeta placed a hand over hers and marveled at the softness of her olive skin. He found himself running his thumb over the top of her hand. "Plus, I wouldn't want to take out anyone else but you."

"Good," Her stocking foot rubbed his ankle teasingly. "I'm having fun so far."

Peeta swallowed the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. She wasn't making this very easy.

He held up his cup. "To our first date."

Katniss held up her cup. "May it be in our favor."

They toasted.

* * *

"How did you do this?"

Katniss looked at the old jukebox she found while exploring the closet in the hallway. Together, they dragged the machine out and set it against the wall opposite the couch.

"A lot of the buildings around here are abandoned," he replied as he plugged the machine into an outlet. "There's an old diner about ten minutes away from here and I found this in it. I was reading a lot about programming at the time. I fixed it up so that it would work, then pulled out all the old records. After I did that, I set up a downloadable system and music player."

"What kind of music do you have?"

Peeta cocked his head. "Not really sure." He walked over and randomly pressed three numbers on the front panel. "I let Octavia download anything she could get from her parents' music collection."

The room was suddenly filled with the beginning sounds of a rock song.

"_Well this is just a simple song  
To say what you done  
I told you about all those fears  
And away they did run…"_

Katniss turned to him. "How do you lower the volume?"

He pressed the downward arrow next to the number pad before he turned to look at her.

She looked exhausted.

"I want to tell you everything," she said after a moment, her eyes still on the machine. "How all of it happened." Katniss turned to him. "How I became the Mockingjay."

He nodded and Katniss led him over to the couch.

Letting Peeta sit first, she sat next to him and laid the back of her head against his chest.

"I left the day after you did," she began and Peeta rested his forearm against her collarbone. "I couldn't be there without you—Effie gave me some train fare and suggested that I go to the Capitol. I think she figured that they would test you here before distributing you to a District."

Peeta was a rare one. He had tested well in creativity, but lacked the smarts to become a product developer in the Capitol. So they sent him to the maintenance yards.

It was pretty much a dead end for anyone.

"I was on the train and a man sat next to me. He was fascinated with my eyes and hair. Apparently they're rare in the Capitol. His name was Cinna and he taught me everything I know." Her eyes went blank as she recalled her past.

"And what do you know?"

"I know that lust isn't all about sex," she replied as she looked up at him. "Do you know what a geisha is?"

Peeta shook his head.

"Before the Capitol and all of this," Katniss waved her hand around, "When there were other countries, geisha were Japanese female entertainers. It wasn't sex for them—it was about pleasuring in some way artistically."

"Cinna was a designer and during his presentation parties, I would walk around in his dresses," she explained. "They were a hit and so was I. His clients began to ask if I would do the same thing during their parties. Cinna and I decided that I would—I needed to get my name out there."

She sat up and turned to him. "I needed you to find me."

"I heard rumors," Peeta told her. "But I was too scared to hope."

"Cinna knew about you," Katniss said and she laid her head on his shoulder. He pulled her close, afraid that she wasn't real, that he had dreamt her up. "He told me there were things that no one could take away; things that I could keep for you—for us."

His mouth went dry. "What do you mean?"

"If a client wanted me privately, there were two rules," she explained as she turned and rested her chin on his shoulder. "No one could touch me here," she pointed downward in-between her thighs. "Or here."

Her finger went to her lips.

"So no one has ever kissed you?" He felt his lips lift into a grin and Katniss nodded, a smile forming on her own lips.

"I needed something to hope for."

"So what would you do?" he asked curiously.

"A lot of the men really wanted company," she replied. "I learned to become conversational—Cinna trained me. I learned about the client and what they did for a living so when the time came, we would have something to talk about. A lot of them opened up and would tell me about their childhoods, how they met their wives, or about their kids. Some of them would tell me how unhappy they were."

"I became their confidant," Katniss continued. "It was sad, really. Some of them were pretty messed up. All they needed was someone to take care of them. I would get paid just to sing them to sleep sometimes."

"So most of the time... nothing physical?" Peeta questioned.

"I learned to use my hands or other parts," she answered quietly. "I learned to dance—some just wanted to look at me or watch me use my hands—on myself."

Peeta felt the rush of heat flood his face as he thought about her placing her hands against her body. He wondered if she had thought about him—about their time together.

"Then one day, Snow came to Cinna's studio," her voice hardened. "He had a suggestion—a bidding war."

"For what?"

"For this," she pointed in-between her legs again and grimaced. "A rare gift from the Mockingjay."

"So what happened?"

"Cinna won the bidding war," Katniss said simply. "Under another name, of course." She looked over at him. "Cinna wasn't interested in me like that, if you know what I mean. He preferred something a little bit more masculine—someone like you."

Peeta laughed. "So you went over Snow's head."

She nodded. "He needed to be convinced that I had actually done it, though." Katniss took a deep breath before speaking again. "So Cinna gave me a contraption…" Her face turned scarlet and placed her face in her hands. "I can't believe I'm telling you this."

"What?"

She looked up at him. "It was shaped like a—you know." Katniss' eyes went to his crotch.

"Oh."

"Yeah," she responded. "Cinna gave me some bourbon and left for the night."

"So did you do it?"

Katniss met his eyes. "I told you I had my memories. They were enough to get me through it."

Holy crap. She had gotten off thinking about _them_.

The room went silent except for the raspy voice singing on the jukebox.

"Snow found out—Cinna was beaten to death a week later." Her eyes filled with tears until they streaked down her cheeks. "The Mockingjay is his old studio—I turned it into a club and made a deal with Cato. He was my business partner and the buffer between Snow… until tonight."

Katniss looked up at him, her eyes hard. "I want Snow obliterated—for both Cinna _and_ Effie. He killed them both."

Peeta took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "Agreed."

He looked over at the jukebox and then at her. "Did you want to dance?"

"What?"

"Effie taught us—or tried to teach you anyway," Peeta joked and pulled her up. "Come on."

Leading her to the open space, he placed a hand on her waist and took her other hand gently.

"Where do I put this hand?" she asked him.

"Shoulder, I guess." He tried to think of what Effie had taught them. "We'll improvise."

"Seems to be our thing," she responded as they began to move.

"_Well the time it takes to know someone  
It all can change before you know it's gone  
So close your eyes, feel the way I'm with you now  
Believe there's nothing wrong…"_

Katniss' body fell against his as they moved and even though they had been apart for so long, he still remembered the curves of her body. Some parts had changed as they'd grown, but inside he still saw the same girl that had been his best friend for years.

Being so close to her seemed to trigger a current throughout his body—and it had nothing to do with the fact that she was pressed so close to him.

It was her—just Katniss.

"_I'm not running  
I'm not hiding  
If you dig a little deeper, you will find me…"_

"Peeta?" She pulled away and her eyes focused on his mouth, then at him again.

Peeta leaned his forehead against hers and looked down at her mouth. He never noticed the freckle on her bottom lip before.

Without another thought, his lips found hers.

"_I'm not lost, not lost, just undiscovered  
And when we're alone, we're all the same as each other…"_

That first kiss was soft but she sighed into his mouth and her tongue touched his.

And then the first kiss became the second one.

Katniss tasted like hot chocolate. He would always remember that.

Pulling away, she smiled against his mouth. "That was one hell of a kiss."

* * *

She woke him up with her lips.

His eyes opened and she pulled away briefly to greet him. "Good morning."

The sun shone through the bedroom window behind her, creating a halo around her dark hair. His hand reached over to touch her chin and she smiled softly as she looked down at him.

"I love you," Peeta told her. "You know that, right? Just you—Katniss Everdeen."

"I know," Katniss replied and placed her chin on his chest so she could meet his eyes. "You know everything I ever did was to find you again—to bring me to your side. I'm not going anywhere now. You're stuck with me."

"Good. We'll make it official one day."

Katniss grinned at him. "Then what?"

"Maybe you can pop out a baby or two," he joked.

She raised her eyebrows. "We'll probably have to have sex one day for that to happen."

They had considered it last night, but their talk, along with the kiss, had left them overwhelmed.

Instead, he tucked her into his bed and she tugged his hand so he would join her.

"When the time is right," Peeta said. He looked at the clock. "We have to meet the others."

"Okay." She laid her head back, pressing her ear against his chest. "Just a few more minutes."

Peeta ran his hand down her hair as she rested against him. The quietness of it—and having her with him was all he ever wanted.

He closed his eyes contentedly and surrendered himself to a half-conscious state. He didn't know how much time passed, nor did Peeta feel her move away until her lips brushed his ears.

"I love you, Peeta Mellark," she whispered.

Opening his own eyes, he found himself staring at the almond shaped grey of hers.

The air shifted around them and his hands went to her hips, guiding her over him. Katniss pulled her shirt over her head and tossed onto the ground, her mouth immediately finding his.

This kiss was different from last night—this one was asking for something more. Peeta looked up at her, his hands sliding up her waist until each one cupped a breast. His thumbs grazed her nipples and she moaned quietly to herself.

"I've never done this before," he told her.

"Neither have I." Katniss shifted to her knees so she could slide off the boxers she wore. She leaned down and kissed him softly. "Because I've been waiting for you."

"I'm sure that you know more than me," he replied.

God, he was hard and it made his thought process unfocused.

Not to mention there was a naked Katniss straddling him.

She watched him for a moment, then slowly moved herself off him. "You're nervous."

"Aren't you?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied carefully. "I'm not ashamed to want you, though. Can't you see?"

Peeta focused on her eyes and he could see a fear behind them that he was rejecting her.

He sat up. "I see, but I don't want it to be like this. Not in this garage—not when we have to rush."

Katniss nodded after a moment. "Okay, we'll wait."

"You should get ready," he said and took a deep breath. "Give me a few minutes."

Her eyes went to his tented boxers and without hesitation, Katniss reached under the elastic to grip his cock. Slowly, she caressed the shaft and he tensed at the sensation of her hand on him.

"Look at me."

He met her eyes as she pulled off his boxers. Then her mouth was on him—kissing the tip as her hand moved up and down his aching shaft. When she moved her lips off of him, she sat up and began to focus her caress on just the head of his cock.

His hips moved in motion with her hand and she leaned down to kiss him. Her tongue massaged him gently – he couldn't get enough of her.

Katniss was ravenous and her mouth sought his out hungrily as she moved her hand. He felt the familiar tingle of his orgasm approaching.

Pulling away, he looked at her desperately. "I'm going to come."

"I've got you," she replied with a smile. "Touch me."

His hands reached for her breasts, teasing her nipples until they were hard. She moaned into his mouth when he pinched a peaked nipple.

She ripped her mouth away, her eyes frantic. "Peeta…"

Pulling her close, his mouth went to her nipple, sucking greedily and when he bit it—Katniss fell apart, the sounds of her orgasm filling the room.

And in a white hot rush, he was coming, calling out her name as he did.

She laid back on the mattress, breathless. "We're going to be late, aren't we?"

"Yeah."

* * *

"So what took you so long?" Haymitch asked as they drove towards their old foster home.

"Overslept," Peeta replied easily and met Katniss' eyes in the rearview mirror.

She winked.

"Bullshit," Gale said from the backseat. He sat next to Katniss. The Chevelle had very little space, so he was a little too close to Katniss for Peeta's liking. "Little Catnip here looks like she hasn't slept at all."

"Katniss," she corrected. "You're just as irritating as I remember."

"Do you still shoot?" Gale asked.

At the home, Katniss had taken a liking to archery and she was good. Haymitch had set up a target for her against one of their aging trees. She would spend her Sundays just shooting—Effie told him that it helped her demons.

"She's a perfect shot," Peeta said as he made a turn off the road.

In front of them stood an aging cream house—their old home. Peeta parked the car and turned to Haymitch.

"Is it done?" Haymitch asked.

"She did it," Peeta replied before opening his door.

Moving his seat, he held out his hand to Katniss and helped her out of the car. He closed the door before Gale could get out.

"Jealous, much?" She smiled up at him and squeezed his hand.

He didn't respond. Instead, Peeta lifted her hand to place a kiss on her knuckles.

Turning, they looked at the house that they had grown up in—the place where they learned to love each other and their makeshift family.

"I feel like I'm ten again," Katniss said as they stared up.

They heard the sound of the door opening and Annie stepped out of the house, along with the three children that Haymitch still had.

The boy was tall and his coloring was similar to both Gale and Katniss; he stood awkwardly with his hands in his pockets. Beside him was a pretty mocha-skinned girl with dark eyes; she was the smallest of the bunch. She held hands with a yellow-haired girl with clear blue eyes and two braids that fell onto her shoulders.

Katniss gasped. "She looks like my mother." He turned to see her cloudy eyes and kissed her forehead. She had never mentioned her mother before, even when they were children.

Finnick and Johanna came out of the house holding soda bottles. They handed the first three to the kids. The little trio walked out to the yard to hang out under the shade of the tree. The blonde met Peeta's eyes and he gave her a smile before she ran off to join her friends.

"I think Prim likes you," Haymitch remarked as he walked up to Peeta and Katniss. "You look like you could've been her brother."

"Yeah, we do look alike," Peeta responded. "Where's she from?"

"No one knows. Just dumped by some tree as a baby when some miners found her." Haymitch looked over at the porch where everyone else sat. "Let's get this show on the road."

Together they walked to the front porch and Peeta felt a lump begin to form in the back of his throat. Memories with all of them flooded his mind and he half expected Effie to come charging out of the house in fuchsia flip flops, a crop checkered tank and torn jeans.

Katniss squeezed his hand, bringing him back to reality and led him to one of the porch chairs.

Then she sat on his lap.

"Aren't you two cozy?" Johanna remarked as she leaned against the porch rails.

"This reunion was a long time coming," Katniss replied and then turned to Haymitch. "So what's going on?"

"I don't have very long," Haymitch said. "Snow's given me a month to get up and out. The kids will be sent away the same day," he sighed. "What I don't understand is why he would want this place. Effie said that he's been after this place for years ever since her daddy bought the property."

"I've been looking at some files," Johanna supplied. "He has property in other places, too. Places that aren't even livable or single pieces of land like this one. I mean, what the hell?"

"There must something that we're not seeing," Gale mused. He looked over at the Johanna. "What's one of the places that he owns?"

"A cave in District Four," Johanna replied.

Annie shuddered from the place where she stood. She had been from District Four.

"I've been there," she said quietly. "A long time ago—"

Annie closed her eyes.

Finnick went to her. "What do you remember?"

"It was dark," Annie recalled. "He took me there once—on a sunny day. The cave doesn't end and it only gets darker as you keep walking. If you got lost, then you didn't bother—you waited to die in that cave." She opened her eyes again. "It was the last time I saw the ocean before—"

She met Finnick's eyes briefly before moving to sit on the porch steps. Annie didn't face them for the rest of the meeting.

"Okay…" Gale looked over at Haymitch. "I think the first thing we need to do is find out why Snow wants this place so badly. It's leverage—we can bargain with him if we know what he wants."

"I'll keep looking," Johanna said after a moment. "I brought my computer and was able to throw the Capitol system off so my signal can't be traced."

"Can we stay over?" Annie asked suddenly. "I don't feel like leaving. I've missed it here."

Haymitch sat next to her on the porch steps. "Of course! I was about to ask, anyway."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Hey, Katniss." Gale walked over. "Haymitch said he still has his old set—want to shoot?" He shot Peeta a smirk—he always liked to bait him.

"Sure," Katniss replied and stood up. She turned to plant a kiss on Peeta's lips before joining Gale.

"That tease," Finnick said, walking over to Peeta. "You two look happy."

"We are—as happy as we can be, anyway."

"So why were you late?" Peeta turned to see Finnick grinning at him.

"Just getting reacquainted."

"Is that what they call it now?"

"Shut up."

* * *

"What are you doing?"

Prim looked up at him before looking back at the soil. He got on his knees beside her and watched her run her hands through the dirt.

They were a few yards away from the house, past where the trees grew and where the dirt looked like coarse coffee grounds.

"Nothing will grow here," she said quietly. Prim looked down at the ground once more. "I always wanted a garden."

He ran his hand through the ground. It felt the same, but there was something else about it. He couldn't quite place it. Peeta grabbed a bit of the soil in his hand and sniffed.

He looked over at Prim. "I think you're right. There is something about this dirt that's strange." He sat back on the ground and turned to her.

"Your name is Primrose, right?" She nodded. "How old are you?"

"You can call me Prim. I just turned ten," she replied. "Haymitch got me a cake. He tried to make me one, but ended up burning the thing." Prim smiled to herself. "I would've eaten it anyway. No one's ever made me a cake."

"I can bake," Peeta said. "Not much, but I think I could make a simple cake. We can try to make one tomorrow."

"You'll be here?"

"All of us will," he replied.

"Good. Haymitch needs some grown-up company," Prim said as she ran her hands through the dirt again. She looked over at Katniss, who was shooting arrows at the old tree she used to practice on. "Is she your girlfriend?"

"Something like that."

"What does that mean?" Prim asked him curiously. "That guy likes her—" she cocked her head over and he turned to see Gale talking to Katniss. "You should figure out your feelings."

"You're an old soul, Prim," he remarked. Peeta looked over at Gale and Katniss again. This time, he was helping her aim and one of his hands was placed on her waist.

Peeta felt the jealousy rising in his chest, but took a deep breath to quell it.

This is how he got in trouble before—for wanting what seemed out of reach.

"Do you want some lemonade?" Prim asked him suddenly. "Rue and I made some."

She stood up and held out her hand.

Peeta nodded before taking it and let her lead him into the house.

* * *

"Something in the way she moves… attracts me like no other lover…"

Katniss lifted her head from his shoulder and smiled. "So you're a singer, too?"

"Just seemed like the right song to sing for the moment," he told her.

She laid her head back on his shoulder and he touched the tip of her braid as they sat on the rocking porch seat. Once in a while, Katniss' bare foot would reach down to push them.

It was warm that evening. It was perfect.

"I saw you watching me," she said after a moment. "With Gale."

Peeta remained silent—he didn't want to get into it. He hated being petty and jealous. It wasn't like him. Not like he wanted to be.

"You have to trust me," Katniss told him. "Or this isn't going to work."

"I do trust you," he replied. "I just can't help it sometimes. I've always been like this—always wanting something that I don't deserve." Peeta looked at her. "I did some bad things when I wasn't with you and I'm not proud of them. It was because I was jealous. There might always be a voice in my head telling me that I'm not good enough."

"What have you done?" Katniss turned to him.

She looked around and held out her pinky. He hooked his own with hers. They did this as kids as a promise to never tell anything that was said at the moment.

"I needed money," he told her. "I wanted to buy the garage, so I started stealing for this guy in the Capitol. Heavensbee."

"I know him," she replied. "Total cock."

"He wanted this set of rare coins from some crazy lady but she wouldn't give them up," Peeta said. "They belonged to her dad and she had no other family left—so he hired me to steal them."

"Did you do it?"

He nodded, trying to stop his eyes from burning.

"It was the worst thing I ever did. Every day, I passed her house after I took them and she would just sit on the porch like she was waiting for something." Peeta ran a hand through his hair. "I used the money to buy the garage and when I made enough to pay her back—"

Peeta paused and although he tried to stop it from happening, the tears came anyway. He buried his face in his hands, ashamed, and from deep within him came the sharp voice of his mother screaming. Then the pain in his wrist—

"Peeta," Katniss pulled his hands from his face and he ripped himself away from her.

"She killed herself! The woman jumped off the roof of her house—she had no family and I took the one piece that she had left of one! I did that!" He looked at her. "Because I wanted too much; I needed to be something, even if it wasn't much."

"You listen to me," she said suddenly. "You didn't do anything wrong. Everyone makes choices and this woman made the wrong one. We couldn't control what happened to us, but we did what we had to do to survive."

Katniss pulled him into her arms. "You are the one person that tried to make good. You've always tried to do what was right and that's why I love you. I'm halfway to falling in love with you, if there is such a thing."

Peeta rested his head against her chest, listening to the rapid beats and took a deep breath. He held her, trying to assure himself that this was all real.

Finally, he sat up and met her eyes. "There is such a thing."

Her mouth softened into a smile and she kissed him.

The front door banged open and Haymitch approached them. "Y'all okay?"

His eyes focused on Peeta's flushed face.

"We're fine," Peeta assured their foster father.

"That dress looks nice on you, Katniss." Haymitch gave her a gruff smile. "Effie always said that you looked your best in blue. She would've been happy that you're wearing her favorite dress."

"It was always my favorite, too," she replied as she fingered the skirt of the deep blue dress. "I think it was because it was the same shade as her eyes—and of his." Katniss jerked her head in Peeta's direction.

Haymitch had distributed Effie's things to the three women. Annie had her comb sets, Johanna was given her books and Katniss was given her clothes. Everything that Katniss usually wore was made for her other persona—so she had nothing that was just hers until now.

Rue and Prim were given her drawing books; Effie used to sketch flowers when she could find them and the girls loved to peek at the books whenever they could.

"So I thought you two could stay in our room," Haymitch said to them. "I don't sleep there anyway. I usually stay in the office. I haven't been able to stay there since—" he stopped for a moment. "Anyway, I had Finnick and Rory flip the mattress. Annie changed the sheets, so whenever you two get tired…"

"You didn't have to do this, Haymitch," Katniss told him.

He shook his head. "Effie always believed in you two. Just take care of each other, okay?"

"Always," Peeta told him simply.

The older man bid them goodnight before heading off to have a drink in his office.

"Real nice of them, don't you think?" Katniss remarked when they were alone.

"Yes, very."

They looked out into the vast brown ground that stood before them. Peeta sniffed the air—there it was again.

"I smell it, too."

They turned to see Prim standing by their seat. "Just wanted to say goodnight—and I'm really happy that you're both here."

Even with the dim porch light, they could see the rosy blush fill her cheeks.

"Thanks, Prim," Peeta replied and got up to give her a kiss on the cheek. "We're happy to be here."

The little girl gave him a quick hug before she went to Katniss and sat next to her.

"I was wondering if you could teach me how to braid my hair—like yours," Prim asked shyly. "It's really pretty."

Katniss shook her head. "Your hair is beautiful. It reminds me of my mother's and she was the most beautiful woman in the District. At least, that's what my Dad said," she replied. "In the morning, just come to our room and I'll fix your hair—bring Rue if you want."

Prim nodded excitedly before throwing her arms around Katniss in a quick hug, then jumping up to go inside. "Good night!"

"I think she likes you," he told her.

"She's sweet," Katniss replied.

Peeta sniffed. There it was again.

The wind shifted and he found himself walking towards the same spot where he stood with Prim that afternoon.

Closing his eyes, his mind brought him back to an old memory of him in the same spot with his foster mother.

"_Why did your Dad buy this place?" he asked Effie. "Nothing grows here."_

"_We have some trees over there," she replied and put an arm around him. "I don't really know why Daddy picked this place. He put up one hell of a fight over it, though. Would be a shame to just sell it off. Plus, there's a lot of room for you to run around here—but not in this part. Stinks in this spot—like gas or something."_

It wasn't gas.

He grabbed some soil and sniffed.

It was petroleum.

Now he knew why Snow wanted this place so badly.

* * *

This is long, I know.

I foresee that this will only be seven chapters plus the epilogue. They will be about this same length, since I have so much ground to cover.

Hope you're enjoying so far. Cheese buns to those who do!

I'm contemplating just having this all through Peeta's POV, but I do like Haymitch too. I find that I enjoy writing more from the male perspective than female.

"Mizuage" is the coming of age for an apprentice geisha. Besides the changing of the hairstyle, there would be a 'mizuage patron' who would pay to take the geisha's virginity. I've read a few books describing this ceremony, but it seemed like a Snow thing, trying to start a bidding war for Katniss.

You're probably wondering about Cato. You'll see in the next chapter.

**Songs:**

"Simple Song"-The Shins

"Undiscovered"-James Morrison

"Something"-The Beatles

Reviews or feedback, asks on Tumblr and e-mail messages are always appreciated.

Till next time, JLaLa


End file.
